Application Workshop Department of Environmental Quality Division - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Application Workshop Department of Environmental Quality Division - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

July-August 2017 Application Workshop Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Infrastructure Agenda Program overview Division application and additional forms Project priority systems Affordability Criteria


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Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Infrastructure July-August 2017

Application Workshop

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Agenda

  • Program overview
  • Division application and additional forms
  • Project priority systems
  • Affordability Criteria
  • CDBG-I survey methodology and other information
  • Asset Inventory and Assessment Grants
  • Merger/Regionalization Feasibility Grants
  • Individual project discussion (optional)

Department of Environmental Quality

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Training Handout Packet

  • Agenda
  • PowerPoint presentation
  • NCDEQ Division application packet
  • Application
  • Project Financial Information & Fund Transfer Certification Form (New)
  • Supplemental guidance for additional consideration
  • Affordability Criteria Information guidance and form
  • Priority points system guidance and priority rating systems
  • Wastewater & Drinking Water
  • Supplemental guidance for asset management
  • Supplemental guidance for bulk connections
  • Community Development Block Grant for Infrastructure
  • Asset Inventory & Assessment & Merger/Regionalization
  • CDBG-I survey information
  • Evaluation form
  • Guidance and other documents can be found on our website at:

http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/wi/application-forms

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Program Overviews

Department of Environmental Quality

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SRF Program Overview

  • Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF)
  • Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF)
  • Low-interest loan program
  • Rate set at ½ market (20-Year Bond Index)
  • Current base interest rate is approximately 1.8% (will be set at

application due date)

  • 20-year maximum term for base rate
  • 30-year maximum term possible for 0% interest
  • Debt approved by Local Government Commission
  • Applications due on September 29

Department of Environmental Quality

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SRF Funding Availability

  • September 2017 round
  • CWSRF – Approximately $70 million available
  • DWSRF – Approximately $55 million available
  • Loan Maximums
  • CWSRF – $30 million per Applicant
  • DWSRF – $20 million per Applicant
  • Can exceed if funds are available
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CWSRF Targeted Funding

  • Principal forgiveness (PF)
  • Approximately $1.5 million in September 2017 round
  • ½ loan amount up to $500,000 per Applicant
  • Changes in qualifications:
  • < 20,000 connections
  • Monthly utility bill > state median ($33/5,000 gallons)
  • 3 out of 5 economic indicators worse that state benchmark
  • 0% interest for green projects
  • 0% interest for PF-qualified applicants
  • Must receive priority points for Category 1 - Project Purpose

Department of Environmental Quality

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DWSRF Targeted Funding

  • Principal forgiveness
  • Approximately $6 million in September 2017 round
  • ½ loan up to $500,000 per Applicant
  • Up to 100% of loan for failed system consolidation
  • Changes in qualifications:
  • < 20,000 connections
  • Monthly utility bill > state median ($33/5,000 gallons)
  • 3 out of 5 economic indicators worse that state benchmark
  • 0% interest for PF-qualified applicants
  • Must receive priority points for Category 1 - Project Purpose
  • Applications due September 29
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Program Basics – Connect NC Bonds

  • Authorized by bond approval (March 2016)
  • Administered through State Reserve Project grant/loan

program = no federal requirements

  • September 2017 round (FINAL ROUND)
  • Drinking water
  • $18.8 million grant
  • $38 million loan
  • Wastewater
  • $6 million grant
  • $36 million loan
  • Authority has total discretion in funding decisions

Department of Environmental Quality

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Program Basics – State Reserve

  • Approximately $5 million
  • Programs funded
  • Drinking water projects
  • Wastewater projects
  • Asset Inventory and Assessment grants
  • Merger/Regionalization Feasibility grants
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State Reserve Projects (SRP)

  • Purpose – To construct projects
  • Project Types
  • Wastewater OR
  • Drinking water
  • Cannot combine
  • Grant/loan percentages based on affordability criteria
  • Project schedule: Two years
  • Applications due September 29

Department of Environmental Quality

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Project Funding Schedule

  • State Revolving Funds
  • State Reserve Projects

24 Month Schedule

Application ER Prep

1 2 3 4

ER Review

5 6 7 8 9

Design

10 11 12 13 14 15

Plan Review

16 17 18 19

Bid

20 21 22

ATA

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Contract

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Department of Environmental Quality

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State Reserve Project Funding

  • Grants – $3 million max per Applicant per system type

every 3 years

  • Loans (base rate) – $3 million max per Applicant per

system type each year

  • Loans (targeted rate) – $3 million max per Applicant per

system type every 3 years

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Asset Inventory & Assessment Grants (AIA)

  • Purpose – To inventory existing water and/or sewer

systems and document the condition of the inventoried infrastructure

  • $150,000 max per Applicant per system type over a 3-

year period

  • Duration – One to two years
  • Match is required
  • Separate applications for water and sewer systems
  • Applications due on September 29

Department of Environmental Quality

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Merger/Regionalization Feasibility Grant (MRF)

  • Purpose – To study the feasibility of systems merging
  • r consolidating
  • $50,000 per Applicant per system type over a 3-year

period

  • Duration – Two years
  • Separate applications for water and sewer systems
  • Applications due on September 29

Department of Environmental Quality

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Community Development Block Grant for Infrastructure

  • Approximately $21.725 million is available for 2017

funding round

  • Maximum grant amount is $2 million over three years
  • Three years begin at time of SWIA award date
  • No more than three open grants within three years
  • Applications due September 29
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Questions?

Department of Environmental Quality

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Application and Additional Forms

Department of Environmental Quality

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Division Application Packet

  • Division application
  • Project Financial Information and Fund Transfer

Certification Form

  • Resolution
  • Applicable rate sheets
  • Affordability Criteria Information form and worksheet
  • Form LGC 129 and worksheet (except for CDBG-I only

applications)

  • Priority points sheet and narrative
  • Wastewater
  • Drinking Water

Resolutions due at time of application Department of Environmental Quality

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How to Find Materials

Department of Environmental Quality

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Need table of links

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Division Application

Department of Environmental Quality

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DEQ Division Application

  • Revised for September 2017 and future funding rounds
  • One application for all programs
  • Construction projects – best funding fit
  • All sections completed

Department of Environmental Quality

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DEQ Division Application

  • Applications not funded in previous round

considered for September 2017

  • Reconsideration? (New!)
  • No additional information allowed
  • Application reconsidered as-is
  • Adding information? Submit completely new

application

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Division Application – Section 1

Department of Environmental Quality

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Division Application – Section 2

Department of Environmental Quality

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Division Application – Sections 3, 4, and 5

Department of Environmental Quality

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Division Application – Section 6

Department of Environmental Quality

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Division Application – Section 7

  • For use with information to add beyond the priority

points system

  • Use supplementary guidance
  • Must fit into the space provided

Department of Environmental Quality

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Division Application – Section 8

Department of Environmental Quality

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Certifications

  • 9 items
  • Read each
  • Initial each
  • Not applicable? N/A

Department of Environmental Quality

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Division Application – Completeness Checklist

  • Initial to show complete package
  • Submit
  • CDBG-I only – 1 original and 2 copies
  • Drinking Water/Wastewater, AIA, MRF – 1 original and 1 copy
  • Applying for CDBG-I and Drinking Water/Wastewater – 1 original & 3 copies
  • Bind applications
  • Mailing vs. Courier
  • Send to appropriate address
  • Allow time

Department of Environmental Quality

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Application – Signature

  • Application must be signed
  • Not signed? Incomplete
  • Authorized Representative

Department of Environmental Quality

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Additional Forms

Department of Environmental Quality

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Financial Information/Fund Transfer Certification

  • Consolidated two forms into one
  • Financial information
  • Fund transfer certification
  • Requests information similar to LGC-108C form
  • Three years
  • Completed for combined system or each system if

separate

  • Sign certification on back

Department of Environmental Quality

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Additional Forms – Fund Transfer Certification

  • Certifies that no funds received from water/wastewater

utility operations fund were transferred for the purpose

  • f supplementing the resources of the general fund

Department of Environmental Quality

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Additional Forms – Fund Transfer Certification

  • Enter name of local government unit

Department of Environmental Quality

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Additional Forms – Fund Transfer Certification

  • Signature of Authorized Representative required
  • Date form

Department of Environmental Quality

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Additional Forms – Resolution & Rate Sheets

  • Resolution
  • Template available
  • List Authorized Representative
  • Due at time of application
  • Rate sheets – Be sure to include LGU rate sheets
  • Affordability Criteria Information form – To be discussed

later (New!)

Department of Environmental Quality

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Additional Forms – LGC Forms

  • LGC-108A and -108C Forms – Not needed yet
  • LGC 129
  • Issued by LGC to each LGU
  • Records annual debt service for each LGU
  • No debt = no form
  • Available in big PDF document
  • https://www.nctreasurer.com/slg/Debt%20Management/Annual

DebtPaymentNotices.pdf

Department of Environmental Quality

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Questions?

Department of Environmental Quality

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Construction Project Funding

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Project Priority Systems

Wastewater Drinking Water CDBG-I

Department of Environmental Quality

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Priority Rating System

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Department of Environmental Quality

  • Used to rank projects for funding
  • Read guidance carefully – describes the required

narratives, maps, and documentation (revised July 2017)

  • Claim the points you can document
  • Provide ALL the required documentation
  • Additional information will NOT be requested
  • Ask questions if unsure
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Today’s Discussion

  • Categories
  • Category 1 – Project Purpose
  • Category 2 – Project Benefits
  • Category 3 – System Management
  • Category 4 – Affordability
  • Point totals for categories vary depending upon type of

project (wastewater, water, CDBG-I)

  • Presentation focus on problem areas

Department of Environmental Quality

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Priority Rating System Category 1 – Project Purpose

Department of Environmental Quality

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1.A Consolidate Failing System (DW/CDBG-I)

  • Rescue a failing system designated by Chief of Public

Water Supply Section of DWR

  • Documentation:
  • Letter from PWS Section Chief calling it a failing system,
  • Letter identifies the Public Water Supply System by name and

PWSID Number, and

  • Agreement between failing system and rescuer
  • Generally initiated by the Public Water Supply

Section of DWR

  • Call regional office

Department of Environmental Quality

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1.B Resolve Failed Infrastructure

  • Expanding capacity is limited to replacing failed

infrastructure – not future growth

  • Narrow definition of failed infrastructure:
  • Failed Septic Systems or DWR permitted single family

spray/drip irrigation system

  • Failed non-discharge permitted disposal area, such as a failed

spray/drip irrigation field or infiltration basin

  • No other infrastructure failure counts
  • Documentation depends on type of failure

Department of Environmental Quality

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1.B Resolve Failed Infrastructure

  • Failed Septic Systems or DWR-permitted single-family

spray/drip irrigation system must earn points and provide documentation under 2.C

  • Failed non-discharge permitted disposal area, such as

a failed spray/drip irrigation field or infiltration basin

  • Provide:
  • Copy of non-discharge permit
  • Letter from DEQ RO stating disposal field/basin has failed and

any NOVs

  • Map

Department of Environmental Quality

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1.C Rehab/Replace Infrastructure

  • Rehab or Replace cannot expand capacity
  • New pump station / treatment plant with same capacity

as old being decommissioned

  • Like for like replacement
  • Includes new unit operations that don’t increase

capacity to treat

  • EQ basin, UV disinfection, solids handling, SCADA, VFD,

generator

Department of Environmental Quality

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1.C Rehab/Replace Infrastructure

Common Errors:

  • We are replacing existing 10-inch gravity sewer.
  • We are increasing pumping capacity to meet current

flows but not to provide any additional capacity.

  • Missing supporting calculations when replacing a pump

station with gravity sewer.

  • The 1 MGD unit we are replacing is under-sized, so we

will replace it with a properly-sized 2 MGD unit.

Department of Environmental Quality

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1.C.1 Old Infrastructure

  • Can earn additional points for old infrastructure
  • At least 50% of the construction cost is associated with

replacing old infrastructure

  • Show clearly in budget

Unit Age in years Treatment or Pumping Units 20 Sewer Lines 40

Department of Environmental Quality

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1.D Expand Infrastructure

  • Expand infrastructure for existing capacity deficiencies
  • r future flows
  • Common error
  • New lines do not get priority points

Department of Environmental Quality

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1.D.1 Old Infrastructure

  • Can earn additional points for old infrastructure
  • At least 50% of the construction cost is associated with

replacing old infrastructure

  • Show clearly in budget

Unit Age in years Treatment or Pumping Units 20 Sewer Lines 40

Department of Environmental Quality

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1.E Extension of Service for Specific Reasons (CDBG-I)

  • Project will affirmatively further Fair Housing by

extended water and/or sewer to new or rehabilitated LMI housing

  • Specific reasons
  • Extend water and/or sewer service to new low income housing,
  • r to an area where existing low-to-moderate income (LMI)

homes are being rehabilitated

  • Connect existing LMI homes to water and/or sewer service
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1.E.1 Extend or Rehab Water/Sewer (CDBG-I)

  • Proposed project will extend water and/or sewer to new
  • r rehabilitated low-to-moderate (LMI) income housing.
  • Water and sewer extensions to new LMI housing are

limited to housing financed by public or private non- profit entities, or by private firms using tax credits.

  • See CDBG-I Priority Rating System Guidance & Form

for required documentation

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1.E.1 Extend or Rehab Water/Sewer (CDBG-I)

  • LMI Percentage:
  • New Construction, the LMI % for the project area is

estimated at 100%. Applicant must document and verify the LMI % of residents of new housing project at the end of the project.

  • Rehabilitated Housing, the LMI % in the project area must

be at least 51%, and requires a survey of residents.

  • All LMI units in project area must be connected, unless

a registered sanitarian or a licensed soil scientist verifies that the wells/septic are functioning properly.

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1.E.2 Connect Existing Homes to Existing Lines (CDBG-I)

  • These are hook-up only grants - Nothing but the

house connections should be in the project.

  • Proposed project will connect existing houses/multi-

family dwellings to existing water and /or sewer service.

  • Homeowners / renters must be LMI, no over income

households can be connected with these funds.

  • See CDBG-I Priority Rating System Guidance & Form

for required documentation

  • Income Surveys of the project area are required with

income verification of each direct beneficiary household required before the close of the project.

  • These grants will have a 100% LMI percentage.
  • The hookups can be scattered throughout a town or

county.

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Priority Rating System Category 2 – Project Benefits

Department of Environmental Quality

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2.A Benefit from Infrastructure Replacement, Repair, or Merger (CDBG-I)

  • Proposed project provides an environmental or public

health benefit through the replacement or repair of infrastructure, or merger of a failing system with a viable one.

  • Projects include:
  • Connecting homes with failing septic systems to public

sewer service

  • Connecting homes with dry or contaminated wells to public

water service

  • Replacing failing public wells (failure due to contamination
  • r significant yield reduction) with another well, or

connection to another water system with excess capacity

  • Repairing or replacing sewer lines responsible for reported

sanitary sewer overflows that:

  • Reach bodies of water, or
  • Backup into homes, causing a public health problem
  • See CDBG-I Priority Rating System Guidance &

Form for required documentation

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2.B Specific Public Health Benefit (DW)

  • Provides points for
  • Dry or contaminated wells
  • Specific project types that also earn other points

Department of Environmental Quality

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2.C Specific Environmental Benefit (WW)

Projects include:

  • Connecting homes with failing septic systems to public

sewer service

  • Must include letter from a registered sanitarian, a licensed soil

scientist, or County Health Department documenting existing failures

  • Includes failed single-family residence spray/drip irrigation

system

  • Repairing or replacing sewers with reported SSOs that
  • Reach bodies of water, or
  • Document backup into homes

Department of Environmental Quality

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2.C Specific Environmental Benefit (WW)

Common errors

  • Center Avenue area soils are unsuitable and septic

system failure is likely

  • SSOs not resolved by project
  • No map showing location of failing systems
  • No map showing SSOs

Department of Environmental Quality

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2.E Addresses Enforcement Documents

  • Project can only receive points for ONE of the following:
  • 2.E.1 EPA Administrative Order (AO) in Tier 1 county, or an

existing/pending SOC, or DEQ AO

  • 2.E.2 Notice Of Violation or Notice Of Deficiency
  • Common errors
  • Project does not address enforcement document
  • Response on file that Applicant has already addressed the

problem that caused enforcement action

Department of Environmental Quality

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2.G Address Low Pressure (DW)

  • Compare pressure to T15A NCAC 18C .0901:

(20/30 psi)

  • Provide:
  • Valid testing or modeling data
  • Report and supporting documents
  • See factsheet on website
  • Big change: fireflow is 250 gpm or document requirement for

higher flow

  • Common error
  • Long lengths of small lines do not earn points

Department of Environmental Quality

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2.H & 2.I Contamination (DW)

  • Refer to the guidance and separate sampling protocol
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2.J Additional Treatment (WW/DW)

  • Project improves the quality of treatment
  • Common error
  • Does not improve water quality
  • Replaces existing unit process

Department of Environmental Quality

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2.K Water Loss Exceeds 30% Documentation (DW/CDBG-I)

  • Document the water loss exists; BOTH of following

must exceed 30%

  • At least latest year water audit (detail in Line Item 3.E)
  • Water loss listed in latest Local Water Supply Plan
  • Narrative must credibly describe both:
  • Why you believe the unit is responsible for the excess water

loss and

  • How or why the project will reduce the excess water loss from

that unit

  • Common errors
  • Failure to provide audit
  • LWSP shows low water loss

Department of Environmental Quality

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2.M Addresses a Moratorium on a Local Government System (CDBG-I)

  • An application may earn seven points if the project

directly addresses the cause of a moratorium on a local government system.

  • See CDBG-I Priority Rating System Guidance & Form

for required documentation

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2.N Rehabilitate Water & Sewer Lines in Same Footprint (CDBG-I)

  • Submit one application containing information for both

water and sewer.

  • Each project utility must provide separate scorecards,

budgets, and support documentation; in addition to a total budget combining all project types.

  • See CDBG-I Priority Rating System Guidance & Form

for required documentation

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2.P Impaired Waters (WW)

  • Project will directly benefit impaired waters
  • Provide:
  • Stream name and impairment(s) as documented in the

Integrated Report

  • Discussion of impairment and connect the dots to show the

project will directly benefit the impairment

  • Map(s) with project location, stream location and impaired

segment

  • Common errors
  • Project does not address impairment
  • Map does not adequately show location of project and

impairment

Department of Environmental Quality

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2.S 20% Reduction in Energy Use GREEN (WW)

  • Primary purpose of project (>50% of construction cost)

is to:

  • Reduce energy usage of a specific process by 20%
  • Produce energy (e.g. digester gas to energy project, solar

panels at treatment plant)

  • Eliminate a PS as long as it doesn’t increase the pumping

demands of a downstream PS

  • If project is not exclusively for energy reduction:
  • 0% interest rate applied to the portion the loan for Green Project
  • Standard interest rate will applied to rest of the loan
  • Common errors
  • Lack of supporting calculations
  • Less than 50% of construction costs

Department of Environmental Quality

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Priority Rating System Category 3 – System Management

Department of Environmental Quality

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System Management

Can only receive points for ONE of the following:

  • 3.A – Capital Improvement Plan OR
  • 3.B – Asset Management Plan

Department of Environmental Quality

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3.A Capital Improvement Plan

  • Must span 10 years, be less than 2 years old
  • State years covered by the CIP
  • Resolution or certified minutes showing adoption of CIP
  • Common errors
  • Has not been adopted within past 2 years
  • Does not span 10 years from date of adoption
  • No minutes showing adoption
  • Project not highlighted on CIP

Department of Environmental Quality

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3.B Asset Management Plan

  • Applicant has implemented AMP before application
  • Separate AMP Guidance Supplement
  • Common errors
  • AMP has not been implemented
  • CIP does not span 10 years from date of adoption
  • No minutes showing adoption of CIP
  • Project not highlighted on CIP

Department of Environmental Quality

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3.E Water Loss Reduction Program (DW/CDBG-I)

  • To encourage proactively looking for leaks rather than

simply fixing them when found

  • Two ways to earn points
  • The system is not leaking – no need to search
  • Ongoing, continuous hidden leak detection and repair program
  • Must provide water audit
  • Three annual audits
  • All three years < 10% water loss (ILI < 1.2)
  • If leak rate is ≥ 10% (ILI ≥ 1.2), document hidden leak

detection and repair program

  • Hidden: not visible, obvious, or accidentally discovered

Department of Environmental Quality

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3.E Water Loss Reduction Program (DW/CDBG-I)

Hidden leak detection and repair

  • Use technology to search for hidden leaks (acoustic /

ultrasonic)

  • Ongoing, continuous program
  • Describe the program.
  • What did you do in the past year?
  • What did you find?
  • How did you repair found leaks?
  • Does this project fix a found leak?
  • Common errors
  • “We fix leaks when we find them.”
  • Not all three years of data provided

Department of Environmental Quality

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3.F Water Conservation Incentive Rate Structure (DW)

  • A rate structure that encourages typical users to reduce

usage

  • Incentive must operate in the range of reasonable

household usage

  • Increasing block rate
  • Rate per gallon must increase within first 5,000 gallons / month
  • Rate per gallon cannot decrease within first 20,000 gallons /

month

Department of Environmental Quality

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Priority Rating System Category 4 – Affordability

Department of Environmental Quality

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4.A Residential Connections (WW/DW-SRP)

  • Only claim ONE sub-category based on the number of

connections.

  • Less than 20,000 residential connections, or
  • Less than 10,000 residential connections, or
  • Less than 5,000 residential connections, or
  • Less than 1,000 residential connections
  • Use only sewer connections or drinking water

connections as of date of application

Department of Environmental Quality

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4.B Current Monthly Utility Rate at 5,000 Gallons (WW/DW)

  • Only claim ONE sub-category based on the current

monthly utility rate for 5,000 gallons.

  • Greater than $26, or
  • Greater than $33, or
  • Greater than $40, or
  • Greater than $47, or
  • Greater than $58, or
  • Rates must match those on rate sheet submitted
  • Use only sewer rates or drinking water rates
  • Use lowest residential rate, “in-town rate”
  • Provide calculations

Department of Environmental Quality

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4.C Local Government Unit (LGU) Indicators (WW/DW)

  • Only claim ONE sub-category
  • 2 out of 5 LGU indicators worse than state benchmark, or
  • 3 out of 5 LGU indicators worse than state benchmark, or
  • 4 out of 5 LGU indicators worse than state benchmark, or
  • 5 out of 5 LGU indicators worse than state benchmark, or
  • LGU Indicators are:
  • Property Valuation per Capita is less than $104,428
  • Percent Population Change is less than 4.33%
  • Poverty Rate is greater than 17.4%
  • Median Household Income is less than $46,868
  • Unemployment rate is greater than 5.7%

Department of Environmental Quality

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4.F Poverty Rate (CDBG-I)

Refer to the poverty rate tables on the Division website at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/wi//applications-forms, under Sidebar “Additional Resources” - “Local Government Unit Parameters-Counties”

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4.G Utility Rates/Median Household Income (CDBG-I)

  • Refer to NCDEQ Water and Sewer Form used in Line Item 3.c to

calculate and enter the monthly inside rates for the water and/or sewer utility under Line Item 4.G. Keep in mind if applicant has

  • ne utility, the scorecard will double the rate.
  • If applicant has both utilities, then both utilities must be reported,

even if an outside entity provides the service. Must provide rates that are certified within 6 months of application deadline for all water and sewer utilities servicing project area. **Points will not be given if application doesn’t contain both NCDEQ Water and Sewer Rate Form and Certified Rates

  • Refer to the median household income tables on the Division

website at http://portal/ncdenr.org/web/wi//applications-forms

  • See CDBG-I Priority Rating System Guidance & Form for required

documentation

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4.H Low-to-Moderate Income Percentage of the Project Area (CDBG-I)

  • Input the results from the surveys or census data

research into the blue box next to 4.H

  • See CDBG-I Priority Rating System Guidance & Form

for required documentation

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90

Affordability Criteria Methodology

Department of Environmental Quality

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SLIDE 91

Affordability Criteria Overview

91

Department of Environmental Quality

  • General requirements
  • Affordability criteria methodology
  • Case study
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92

General Requirements

  • Affordability Criteria Information form (New!)
  • Complete all information
  • Supporting documentation required in support of

Affordability Criteria Information form

  • Affordability Criteria Information form incomplete =

impact on grant eligibility or percentage amounts

  • Note: Not all steps apply to all programs

Department of Environmental Quality

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93

General Requirements

  • Applies to all programs in one form or another
  • Complete all blanks

Department of Environmental Quality

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94

Step 1 – Population (WW/DW/CDBG-I)

  • Use residential connections
  • Consider for the entire service area
  • Results
  • > 20,000 residential connections  eligible for 100% loan
  • ≤ 20,000 residential connections  Go to next step
  • Bulk connections – Include residential connections

served by bulk connection

Department of Environmental Quality

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95

Step 2 – LGU Economic Indicators

  • Used to further limit grant eligibility to those LGUs that

demonstrate more economic distress than others

  • Five indicators
  • Population change
  • Poverty rate
  • Median household income
  • Unemployment
  • Property valuation per capita
  • Uses state benchmarks

Population change – 4.33% Poverty rate – 17.4% Median household income – $46,868 Unemployment – 5.7% Property valuation per capita – $104,428 Department of Environmental Quality

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96

Step 2 – Where to Obtain Data

  • Data sheets for LGUs or counties provided by Division
  • Population change (%)
  • Poverty rate
  • Median household income
  • Unemployment
  • Property valuation
  • Most current (2015-2016) approved audit
  • Property valuation per capita = Total Taxable Property Value

(2015-2016)/Population (2015)*

  • No audit = no credit for indicator
  • Data available on calculator

*From data sheets Department of Environmental Quality

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97

Step 2 – LGU Economic Indicators

  • Complete all 5 indicators
  • 3 out of 5 parameters worse than benchmark  Go to

Step 3

Department of Environmental Quality

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98

Step 3 – Existing Revenues (WW/DW)

  • Determines potential ability of a system to finance the

project without a grant

  • Future operating ratio
  • Operating revenues (both systems)
  • Total expenditures (both systems)
  • Debt Service (both systems)
  • Debt principal
  • Interest
  • Project
  • 20-year loan
  • 0% interest
  • ORFuture ≥ 1.3  eligible for 100% loan
  • ORFuture < 1.3  Go to Step 4

& & & 20

Department of Environmental Quality

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99

Step 4 – Determination of Grant Portion

  • Purpose – To determine the ability of an Applicant to

finance that particular project without a grant

  • Parameters
  • Annual debt service per connection with project included
  • Current utility bill

Department of Environmental Quality

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100

Step 4a. Annual Debt Service per Connection (WW/DW)

  • Non-residential connections
  • Special case – bulk connections
  • Annual debt service
  • Water OR sewer annual debt service
  • Annual debt service to consider
  • Active debt (shown on LGC 129 form)
  • Pending debt
  • Active annual debt service not on LGC 129
  • Supply LGC 129 form and annual debt service worksheet

Annual debt service per connection =

20

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101

Types of Annual Debt Service

  • Active annual debt service
  • LGC 129 form
  • Beware of combined annual debt service
  • List all pertinent debt on worksheet
  • Pending annual debt service
  • Binding commitment but not on LGC 129 form
  • CWSRF/DWSRF loans
  • State loans
  • USDA loans
  • List separately on annual debt service worksheet
  • Active annual debt service not on LGC 129 form
  • State contract
  • List on annual debt service worksheet
  • Combined debt service – Show relevant percentage

split

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102

Step 4a. LGC 129 & Annual Debt Service Worksheet

  • Use to determine existing annual debt service
  • Use only for pertinent system (water or sewer)
  • Must supply worksheet
  • List all active debt from LGC 129 form, pending debt, and active

debt not on LGC 129 form

  • No LGC 129 and worksheet = no verification = no credit

for existing annual debt service

Department of Environmental Quality

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103

Step 4a. LGC 129

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104

Step 4a. Annual Debt Service Worksheet

Department of Environmental Quality

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105

Step 4a. Annual Debt Service

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106

Step 4b – Monthly Utility Bill

  • Current utility bill
  • Water OR sewer bill*
  • In-town rates only
  • Monthly bill for 5,000 gallons usage
  • Rate sheets in Section 4 of priority points narrative
  • Special case – multiple user rates

Department of Environmental Quality

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107

Step 4c. Determination of Grant Portion (WW/DW)

Department of Environmental Quality

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108

Affordability Criteria Case Study

Department of Environmental Quality

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109

The Situation

The Silk River Water and Sewer Authority (SRWASA) consists of three towns (Town of May, Town of Weatherly, and the Town of Mather) as well as part of Copper

  • County. The SRWASA has applied for a $1,500,000

sewer rehabilitation project to replace part of the Town’s aging collection system.

Department of Environmental Quality

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110

The Parameters

Department of Environmental Quality

System Characteristics LGU Res. Users Non- Res. Users Operat. Rev. Operat. Exp. Principal Interest Water Debt Service Sewer Debt Service Monthly Water Bill (5,000 gal.) Monthly Sewer Bill (5,000 gal.) May

2,644 218 $4,568,976 $3,395,293 $938,000 $40,888 $120,444 $250,383 $26.44 $32.89

Weatherly

1,569 123 $34.58 $43.44

Mather

909 48 $33.66 $38.65

Copper County

438 29 $20.33 $31.04

Local Government Unit Economic Characteristics LGU Percent Population Change Poverty Rate (%) Median Household Income Percent Unemployment Property Valuation per Capita Percentage

  • f Service

Area May 4.89% 18.6 $38,491 6.0 $103,298 42% Weatherly 4.10% 15.2 $44,298 5.5 $104,892 38% Mather

  • 2.6%

20.4 $32,870 6.5 $98,993 14% Copper County 1.2% 12.6 $50,928 4.9 $120,392 6%

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111

Step 1 – Residential Connections

  • 2,644 + 1,569 + 909 + 438 = 5,560 total residential

customers

System remains eligible for a grant. Proceed to Step 2.

Department of Environmental Quality

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112

Step 2 – LGU Economic Indicators

  • 4 LGUs = weighted average approach
  • Population trend

(42%*4.89%) + (38%*4.10%) + (14%*-2.6%) + (6%*1.1%) = 3.32%

  • Poverty Rate

(42%*18.6) + (38%*15.2) + (14%*20.4) + (6%*12.6) = 17.2

  • Median household income

(42%*$38,491) + (38%*$44,298) + (14%*32,870) + (6%*50,928) = $40,657

  • Unemployment

(42%*6.0) + (38%*5.5) + (14%*6.5) + (6%*4.9) = 5.8

  • Property Valuation per capita

(42%*$103,298) + (38%*$104,892) + (14%*$98,993) + (6%*$120,392) = $104,326

Department of Environmental Quality

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113

Step 2 – LGU Economic Indicators Recap

  • Population trend = 3.32%
  • Poverty rate = 17.2%
  • Median household income = $40,657
  • Unemployment = 5.8%
  • Property valuation per capita = $104,326

Worse Worse Worse Better Worse

4 out of 5 indicators worse than state benchmark Proceed to Step 3

Department of Environmental Quality

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114

Step 3 – Existing Revenues

$4,568,976 $3,395,293 $938,000 $40,888 $1,500,000 20 1.03

ORFuture = 1.03 < 1.3 Proceed to Step 4

System Characteristics LGU Res. Users Non- Res. Users Operat. Rev. Operat. Exp. Principal Interest Water Debt Service Sewer Debt Service Monthly Water Bill (5,000 gal.) Monthly Sewer Bill (5,000 gal.) May

2,644 218 $4,568,976 $3,395,293 $938,000 $40,888 $120,444 $250,383 $26.44 $32.89

Weatherly

1,569 123 $34.58 $43.44

Mather

909 48 $33.66 $38.65

Copper County

438 29 $20.33 $31.04

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115

Step 4a. Determination of Annual Debt Service

  • Step 4a. Annual Debt Service
  • Debt service per connection
  • Total connections

5,560 total residential connections + (218+123+48+29) = 5,978 total connections

  • Debt service per connection

$250,383 $1,500,000 20 5,978 $54.43

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116

Step 4b. Monthly Utility Bill

  • Step 4b. Monthly Utility Bill
  • Project in Town of Weatherly  $43.44/5,000 gallons
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117

Step 4c. Determination of Grant Percentage

  • Why?
  • Debt service per connection  low BUT
  • Rates high

Monthly Bill for 5,000 Gallons Lower-than-Median Debt Service per Connection Higher-than-Median Debt Service per Connection Higher-than- Median Bill for 5,000 Gallons >$58 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% >$47 to ≤ $58 75% 75% 75% 75% 100% 100% >$40 to ≤ $47 50% 50% 50% 50% 75% 75% >$33 to ≤ $40 25% 25% 25% 25% 50% 50% >$26 to ≤ $33 0% 0% 25% 25% 25% 25% Lower-than- Median Bill for 5,000 Gallons ≤ $26 0% 0% 25% 25% 25% 25% ≤ $110 > $110 to ≤ $210 > $210 to ≤ $350 > $350 to ≤ $550 $550 to ≤ $1,000 >$1,000 Debt Service per Connection

Department of Environmental Quality

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SLIDE 118

Department of Environmental Quality

CDBG-I Survey Methodology and Other Information

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119

Starting Project & Defining Project Area

  • Strongly encourage communities to initiate community

engagement activities early on in the project planning stages.

  • Community meetings are where the income surveys

may be discussed, where the regulatory requirements may be discussed, and where the benefits of the CDBG program can be discussed.

  • The community may refer to its capital improvements

plan or its asset management plan to determine the highest priority project.

  • Make sure your Asset Management Plan or Capital

Improvements Plan is up to date - within 2 years of application deadline (see guidance for more info).

  • Make sure you have confirmed your LMI % in the

project area accurately

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120

Defining Your Project Area

  • Once the project is defined, you must define your

project area

  • The project must serve the entire project area.
  • The LMI % that you report to us must represent the

project area.

  • We will ask for boundaries, what streets are served, or

what houses are served.

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121

How to Define Your Project Area

  • Use streets, creeks, hills, municipal boundaries, etc. to

describe the area the project is in

  • Be mindful of floodways in the project area. You

cannot cross a floodway, nor can you construct any infrastructure in a floodway

  • See CDBG-I Priority Rating System Guidance & Form for

required documentation

  • Your maps must show us clearly where your project is

located

  • Google Earth is a tool we use to examine the project

area

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122

Determining National Objective – LMI Income

  • Appendix A – Determine LMI Percentage
  • There are two ways to determine your LMI percentage

in your project area:

  • Income survey
  • Census data
  • There are two ways to conduct income surveys:
  • Census survey (100%)
  • Randomized survey
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123

Census Data & Conducting Surveys

  • Count people for general water and sewer projects

such as line rehab, plant upgrades, etc.

  • Count households when doing direct home connections

(private laterals) to water and or sewer service.

  • Calculate the LMI percentage of the project area, using

the number of people served.

  • The LMI % must be at least 51%
  • DO NOT round calculations, must include last two

decimal points (i.e., 76.26%, not 76.3%)

  • Surveys are good for 18 months prior to the application

submission deadline.

  • This year’s application submission deadline is

September 29th, 2017

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124

Census Data & Conducting Surveys

  • If you use census tract or census block data, the project must

serve the entire tract or block

  • Your maps showing the infrastructure you are rehabbing/installing

must back that up

  • In general, it is better to survey – most water and sewer systems

are not designed to serve a census tract or block

  • To find block group data, go to:

https://www.hudexchange.info/manage-a-program/acs-low-mod- summary-data-local-government/

  • Select block group data from the listings on the right side of the

screen, then select North Carolina

  • You can add lowmod numbers by block group, divide by lowmod

universe numbers, and create a lowmod percentage for a particular area

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125

Surveying – Census Surveys

  • Summarize the results of your surveys in a Income

Survey Summary, and submit the spreadsheet with copies of surveys with applications

  • Provide the number of people by income level, race,

gender, ethnicity, disability status and number of elderly (>62)

  • Provide information on whether respondents rent or
  • wn, and how many households are headed by

females

  • Refer to data at

http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/comm unity_facts.xhtml# for the number of people per household for the nonresponsive households

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126

Surveys – Randomized Sampling

  • Refer to Appendix A for instructions on randomized

sampling

  • Recommended for project areas that have more than

100 addresses in it

  • Must have the survey technique documented as

stated in Appendix A

  • You can reduce the number of doors you must knock
  • n by 30% with randomized surveys.
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127

Census Data – Use the American Community Survey (ACS) Data

  • For certain projects, you can use area-wide LMI

percentages, and qualify your project as eligible

  • Go to: https://www.hudexchange.info/manage-a-

program/acs-low-mod-summary-data-local-government/ for area wide LMI percentages by town and county

  • Use Area-Wide Percentages on:
  • Water/sewer plant work
  • Major outfalls, major water mains
  • Line work, but only in LMI areas of towns/counties with a >

51% LMI; otherwise, survey

  • Major pump stations
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128

Additional Info on Surveying

  • Engage the community. Make sure the people in the

project area know why they are being asked these questions.

  • Assure the interviewees of the confidentiality of their

answers.

  • Use our Spanish language survey in communities with

a Latino population or any other language necessary to accommodate your citizens.

  • Utilize community leaders to do the surveys
  • Mayors, managers, clergy, town councilmen – people that

the community recognizes and trusts.

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SLIDE 129

Survey Exercise

129

Department of Environmental Quality

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130

Additional CDBG Requirements

Includes, but not limited to, the following:

  • Fair Housing Regulations and Non-Discrimination laws and

regulations

  • Citizen Participation Plan
  • Language Access Plan
  • Equal Employment Opportunity & Procurement
  • Environmental Review Procedures (24 CFR Part 58)
  • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
  • Americans with Disability Act
  • Relocation Anti-Displacement and Relocation Assistance Plan
  • Labor Standards – Davis Bacon Related Acts
  • Excessive Force Provision
  • Conflict of Interest
  • Local Economic Benefit (Section 3 of the Housing and Urban

Development Act of 1968 )

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131

Additional CDBG Requirements: Section 3 “Preference”

  • Requirements only apply to the portion(s) of covered funding that will used

for projects/activities involving housing construction, rehabilitation, demolition, or other public constructions.

  • Applies to the entire covered project or activity regardless of whether the

activity is fully or partially funded with covered assistance

  • Apply to recipients of HUD CDBG funding exceeding an aggregate total of

$200,000 Requirements are triggered by the NEED for new hires (whether individual employees or contractors or sub-contractors) for work on a project or activity assisted by HUD financial assistance covered by section 3

  • Creating economic opportunities for low and very low-income persons

residing in the community in which the funds are spent; and

  • businesses that substantially employ them, should receive priority

consideration.

  • Section 3 is both race and gender neutral and preference based on

income-level and location

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132

Tab 8 Required Documentation – Public Hearings

  • See Appendix B – Public Hearing Guidance
  • Must hold public hearing within the same calendar year of the

grant application

  • If resubmitting an application, a new public hearing must be

held

  • Must discuss the CDBG program as well as specific project
  • Public hearing notice published at least 10 days before the

hearing, not including the day of the hearing – but no more than 25 days before the hearing

  • The notice must be in the non-legal section of the local

newspaper

  • Public Hearing minutes MUST BE ADOPTED by the unit of

general local government

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133

Tab 8 Required Documentation – Public Hearings

  • Strongly recommend public hearing notice is posted

in the project area

  • If there is a Latino population in the project area, have

the full notice translated into Spanish before posting in the community – if there are other languages spoken in the project area, have the notice translated into that language as well

  • Do everything you can to ensure the public has a

chance to participate in the public hearing

  • Excellent resource:

http://arcmap.mla.org/mla/default.aspx

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134

Tab 8 Required Documentation – IDIS Forms

  • See Appendix C – IDIS Instructions
  • Water and Sewer Improvements must count people
  • New Housing Connections must count households
  • Need a form for each activity (do not need form for

administration)

  • Don’t include local money, only CDBG funds
  • If the project has two or more different project areas,

please contact DWI-CDBG-I Staff

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135

Tab 8 Required Documentation – Other Information

  • All remaining required documents and forms are on website
  • Compliance documents must be signed in the same calendar year of

application deadline

  • All signed by the chief elected official and/or the authorized representative
  • See CDBG-I Priority Rating System Guidance & Form for required forms:
  • “Certification of Understanding of the Roles and Responsibilities Under the

HUD State Community Development Block Grant Program”

  • “Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility

Matters”

  • “Conflict of Interest Certification”
  • “Federal Performance and Procurement Requirements Certification”
  • “Disclosure of Other Federal Income and Any Financial Interest by Persons

Involved with the Project”

  • “Federal Performance and Procurement Requirements Certification”
  • “Disclosure of Other Federal Income and any Financial Interest by Persons

Involved with the Project”

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136

Application Preparation Expenses

  • Application preparation expenses may be reimbursed

to awarded applicants at a reasonable amount, but only if the grant writer was procured according to the Federal procurement procedures for professional services

  • Awarded grantees may receive up to $3,000 for grant

application preparation expenses if they use census data to determine LMI and up to $5,000 for grant application preparation expenses if they conduct an income survey to determine LMI

  • See CDBG-I Priority Rating System Guidance & Form

and Professional Procurement Guidance on Division website for further direction

  • http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/wi/cdbg-i-

compliance1#Procurement

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137

Questions?

Department of Environmental Quality

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138

Asset Inventory and Assessment Grants

Department of Environmental Quality

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139

Asset Inventory and Assessment Grants

  • Asset Inventory and Assessment grants limited to $150,000
  • ver 3 years
  • To inventory existing water and/or sewer system and

document the condition of inventoried infrastructure

  • Eligible activities can include:
  • Identifying system components and where they are located
  • Performing a risk analysis to establish which components are critical
  • Determining the condition of critical components
  • Establishing costs for replacement/repairs/upgrades (capital) and

continuous operations and maintenance (O&M)

  • Creating a prioritized list of projects to be completed
  • Preparing a realistic Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) that includes

critical projects

Department of Environmental Quality

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SLIDE 140

Application Components

140

  • Application forms – separate application for water and

sewer systems

  • Financial Information form
  • Fund Transfer Certification (combined with Financial

Information form)

  • Narrative Questions
  • Resolution

Department of Environmental Quality

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SLIDE 141

Priority Rating System

141

Department of Environmental Quality

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SLIDE 142

Narrative Questions – Project Benefits & System Management

142

  • 1. What are the top three (3) challenges your system faces

in the next 5 years? How will the proposed asset inventory and assessment project help address these challenges? Examples of such challenges might include age of infrastructure, high rates, high debt, public health issues, environmental compliance issues, lack of capacity, water loss, infiltration/inflow, infrastructure at risk of failure, etc. Provide any existing documentation

  • f these challenges such as NOVs, a local water supply

plan, water audits, infiltration/inflow evaluation results, etc.

Department of Environmental Quality

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Narrative Questions – Project Benefits & System Management

143

  • 2. Has the utility received grant funding in the past for

capital improvement plan (CIP) or asset inventory/assessment? How has the utility used the information obtained during that work? Provide a copy (hard copy or CD) of any existing asset inventory, map, condition assessment report, or asset management plan. Provide information on the prior grant funding including when funded, by whom, how much, scope, etc.

Department of Environmental Quality

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SLIDE 144

Narrative Questions – Project Benefits & System Management

144

  • 3. Identify (by title or employee job description) the utility’s

internal asset management team that will be assembled to develop the asset inventory and assessment project. Describe the experience or training each team member has related to utility management – such as rate setting, CIP development, asset management, etc. In addition, describe how this team will continue to inventory, assess, prioritize, and plan for water infrastructure assets after completion of the project.

Department of Environmental Quality

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SLIDE 145

Narrative Questions – Project Benefits & System Management

145

  • 4. How does the utility currently set rates to generate

revenue for appropriate levels of infrastructure maintenance, operations, and replacement? Has the process for setting rates changed in the last five (5) years, and how has it changed? How does the rate setting process blend with the CIP planning process?

Department of Environmental Quality

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SLIDE 146

Narrative Questions – Project Benefits & System Management

146

  • 5. How will the utility use the information developed through

this project to develop future infrastructure projects, and how will these projects be prioritized? How will these projects be incorporated into the CIP planning process in the future, and how will the source of funding be determined?

Department of Environmental Quality

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SLIDE 147

Narrative Questions – Project Benefits & System Management

147

  • 6. How will the utility’s asset inventory developed through

this project be kept up to date, and how will the utility pay for this ongoing effort? Include any information about partnering with the county, Council of Government (COG), or others to maintain and update the asset inventory.

Department of Environmental Quality

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SLIDE 148

Narrative Questions – Project Benefits & System Management

148

  • 7. Provide the System Operating Ratio each year for the

past three (3) years. Explain any discrepancies in the Operating Ratio from year to year. Show calculations with all numbers.

Department of Environmental Quality

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149

2.D - Operating Ratio

  • All values are same as those entered on Financial

Information form

  • “Capital Outlay” = funded from enterprise fund
  • Do not use “non-operating” revenues or future revenues
  • Calculate to hundredths

Operating Revenues

OR =

Total Expenditures + Debt Principal + Interest + Capital Outlay

Department of Environmental Quality

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2.D - Operating Ratio - Scoring

150

  • All three operating ratios are less than 1.00 and the rates

for 5000 gallons are less than $47/month = 0 points

  • All three operating ratios are less than 1.00 and the rates

for 5000 gallons are greater than or equal to $47/month = 1 point

  • All three operating ratios are greater than 1.00 = 2 points
  • If all three operating ratios are not consistently above or

below 1.00, points will be assigned based on comparisons with other applications

Department of Environmental Quality

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SLIDE 151

Narrative Questions – Project Benefits & System Management

151

  • 8. Describe any additional benefits to the utility of receiving

this Asset Inventory & Assessment grant that have not been previously mentioned.

Department of Environmental Quality

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152

Affordability - 3.A Current Monthly Utility Rate at 5,000 Gallons

  • Based on the current monthly utility rate at 5,000 gallons

usage provided on the application form for in-town rates

  • Median rate in NC for 5,000 gallons of water or sewer =

$33/month for in-town rates

  • Scoring:
  • Less than or equal to $33/month = 0 points
  • More than $33/month and less than or equal to $47/month = 1

point

  • Greater than $47/month = 2 points

Department of Environmental Quality

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153

Affordability - 3.B Local Government Unit (LGU) Indicators

  • Only receive points for ONE sub-category
  • 3 out of 5 LGU indicators worse than state benchmark = 0 points
  • 4 out of 5 LGU indicators worse than state benchmark = 1 point
  • 5 out of 5 LGU indicators worse than state benchmark = 2 points
  • LGU Indicators
  • Percent population change
  • Poverty rate
  • Median household income
  • Unemployment
  • Property valuation per capita

Department of Environmental Quality

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154

Match Requirement

  • Based on local government unit (LGU) indicators from

Affordability Criteria

  • 5 of 5 LGU indicators worse than state benchmark – 5% match
  • 4 of 5 LGU indicators worse than state benchmark – 10% match
  • 3 of 5 LGU indicators worse than state benchmark – 15% match
  • < 3 of 5 LGU indicators worse than state benchmark – 20% match
  • Combination of in-kind services and “cash”

Department of Environmental Quality

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155

Deliverables

  • Flexibility
  • Letter of Intent to Fund (LOIF)
  • Grant period = one to two years
  • Requires inventory & assessment – potentially other

components

  • Only a small percentage of funding can be used for

software

Department of Environmental Quality

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156

Merger/Regionalization Feasibility Grants

Department of Environmental Quality

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157

Merger/Regionalization Feasibility Grants

  • Merger/Regionalization Feasibility grants limited to

$50,000 over 3 years

  • Merger (NCGS 159G-20) – consolidation of two or more

water and/or sewer systems into one system with common ownership, management, and operation

  • Regionalization (NCGS 159G-20)
  • Physical interconnection
  • A wastewater system to another wastewater system for regional

treatment

  • A public water system to anther water system for regional

treatment

  • 100% grant
  • Affordability Criteria does not determine eligibility for grant

funding

Department of Environmental Quality

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SLIDE 158

Application Components

158

  • Application forms – separate application for water and

sewer systems

  • Financial Information form
  • Fund Transfer Certification (combined with Financial

Information form)

  • Narrative Questions
  • Resolution from Applicant
  • Letter(s) from potential partners
  • Acknowledging applicant has applied for feasibility study funding

and committing to cooperate in study

  • Does not commit partnering utility to act on recommendations

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Priority Rating System

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Narrative Questions – General Discussion

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  • 1. Has the feasibility of a merger or regionalization been

studied before? What have been the barriers to either conducting a feasibility study or to implementing the recommendations from any previous studies? If a study was previously done, how will this study differ?

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Narrative Questions – General Discussion

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  • 2. Describe the benefit to the local government of receiving

a Merger/Regionalization Feasibility grant, including the current challenges facing the applicant and potential partners, and why merging or regionalizing might help resolve the challenges. Specifically address the system’s technical, organizational, and financial situations, including:

a. Physical assets such as treatment/supply components, distribution/collection systems, storage facilities, etc b. Sources of drinking water or wastewater disposal/utilization c. Treatment, discharge, supply, and demand capacities d. The current level of asset management and capital improvement planning

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Category 1 – Technical Status

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  • 1. Describe any ongoing environmental protection and

public health issues, such as impaired watersheds, contaminated sources, failing infrastructure, etc. (Line Item 1.A)

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Category 1 – Technical Status

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  • 2. Discuss whether systems adjacent to the applicant

appear to have adequate unallocated capacity to accommodate the applying system’s needs? (Line Item 1.B)

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Category 1 – Technical Status

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  • 3. Have the applicant and partner system(s) previously

collaborated on utility or other issues, either on a project basis or for ongoing management? If so, describe the reasons, achievements, and benefits of the collaboration for both the applicant and partner system(s). (Line Item 1.B)

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Category 2 – Organizational Status

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  • 1. Describe the organizational structure of the applicant,

including the number, roles, and responsibilities of the utility and finance staff as well as elected officials, and existing management contracts if applicable. (Line Item 2.A)

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Category 2 – Organizational Status

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  • 2. Describe any known challenges the utility is

experiencing related to operations of the utility such as treatment complexities, water loss, inflow/infiltration, billing, excessive debt, excessive expenses compared to revenue, loss of large water or sewer accounts, etc. (Line Item 2.A)

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Category 2 – Organizational Status

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  • 3. Has the applicant received a Local Government

Commission unit letter within the last three (3) years? If so, discuss the issues presented in the letter, and how the application addressed the issues. (Line Item 2.B)

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2.C - Operating Ratio

  • All values are same as those entered on Financial

Information form

  • “Capital Outlay” = funded from enterprise fund
  • Do not use “non-operating” revenues or future revenues
  • Calculate to hundredths
  • OR < 1.00 = 1 point

Operating Revenues

OR =

Total Expenditures + Debt Principal + Interest + Capital Outlay

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Category 3 - 3.A Current Monthly Utility Rate at 5,000 Gallons

  • Based on the current monthly utility rate at 5,000 gallons

usage provided on the application form for in-town rates

  • Median rate in NC for 5,000 gallons of water or sewer =

$33/month for in-town rates

  • Scoring:
  • Less than or equal to $33/month = 0 points
  • More than $33/month and less than or equal to $47/month = 2

points

  • Greater than $47/month = 4 points

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Category 3 - 3.B Local Government Unit (LGU) Indicators

  • Only receive points for ONE sub-category
  • 3 out of 5 LGU indicators worse than state benchmark = 0 points
  • 4 out of 5 LGU indicators worse than state benchmark = 2 points
  • 5 out of 5 LGU indicators worse than state benchmark = 4 points
  • LGU Indicators
  • Percent population change
  • Poverty rate
  • Median household income
  • Unemployment
  • Property valuation per capita

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Deliverables

  • Flexibility
  • Letter of Intent to Fund (LOIF)
  • Individual meeting with each funded applicant to

determine exact scope – which alternatives must be evaluated

  • Grant period = 2 years
  • Report
  • Alternatives evaluation
  • Analysis of each alternative – technical, organizational, and

financial

  • Conclusions

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Questions?

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Contact Information

  • Anita Reed, P.E. (Wastewater applications)
  • 919.707.9174
  • anita.reed@ncdenr.gov
  • Vincent Tomaino, P.E. (Drinking Water applications)
  • 919.707.9058
  • vincent.tomaino@ncdenr.gov
  • Julie Cubeta (CDBG-I applications)
  • 919.707.9189
  • julie.cubeta@ncdenr.gov
  • Jennifer Haynie (affordability criteria)
  • 919.707.9173
  • jennifer.haynie@ncdenr.gov
  • Amy Simes, P.E. (AIA and MRF)
  • 919.707.9192
  • amy.simes@ncdenr.gov

Department of Environmental Quality